The Arguments

I'm reading N.T. Wright's "The Last Word: Beyond the Bible Wars to a New Understanding of the Authority of Scripture" right now. A wonderful book.

You know, it can be fairly easy to go through the few and various verses that are used to condemn all forms of same-sex relationship and present a rational and faithful interpretation that does not come to the same conclusion, to the point where the thread used to tie them all together to sustain the traditional condemnation of all forms of same-sex relationship is frayed beyond its ability to hold up such an interpretation.

For example, one of the favorite arguments used to support the use of the Leviticus condemnation is that while the ceremonial and dietary laws are put aside for Christians, the moral law is not. N.T. Wright decimates that argument (that we Christians are somehow still under this part of the Levitical Code - at least the part that seems to speak to homosexuality) from pages 54-58. I've often wondered how anyone can read Galatians and Hebrews and still make the argument that Leviticus 18:22; 20:13 is binding for Christians today.

New purpose, same issue

I've been thinking a lot lately about my primary blog and the stuff that I post on it. It really is generic. Ever since I started to journal online, I've wrestled with how open to be and how much to share.

I think I may use this blogger.com weblog to be frank about my continued struggle with the issues of homosexuality and the Christian faith.

From the start, I want to say that after years of struggle, study, listening, and seeking counsel, I came to the conclusion years ago that the way the Church universal handles this issue is not correct. I've come to the conclusion that under an ethic that God established for both gay and straight people, that a relationship between two people of the same sex does not violate God's permissive will.

For the beginning of my adult life, I accept the traditional interpretation of the homosexual issue by the Church. I bought into the ex-gay ideology and methodologies and advocated for their positions. I lived by it, and you know I believed it.

It wasn't until I had to admit to myself that nothing was changing. I was not idolatrous. I was not worshiping the created over the creator. I was fulfilling some kind of lust-driven mania. I was not changing. I spent a great deal of time reviewing material from both sides of the issue and came to the conclusion that the way the issue is handled and has been handled is wrong. The arguments that advocate for same-sex relationships within a Christian context are stronger than those that prohibit any such expression. I just do. And, I think more and more people are coming to that conclusion, no matter how loud the Religious Right wants to shout and demand conformity to their agenda and beliefs.

So, I may post here more often, but perhaps not.

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